Culture and the Creative Economy in Colombia

2. Policy framework for the creative economy in Colombia

Abstract

Colombia pioneers creative economy approaches by embedding culture across public policy areas as part of its development model. An inter-Ministerial National Council for the Orange Economy (CNEN) steers this holistic approach. New public loan programmes and traditional grant-based funds support cultural production. New incentives help attract investment to creative projects. Ministries with non-cultural portfolios develop and implement additional entrepreneurship policies for culture, generating novel policies. Colombian skills policies support creative economy workers, while COVID-19 has raised policy attention around the social protection of creative professionals. Building the capacity of subnational government offers perspectives to further lever creative economy policy.

In Brief

• The creative (Orange) economy is an integral part of Colombia’s development model that places culture and creativity as a central pillar of the development agenda through the National Development Plan. The Orange Economy policy introduced in 2017 is integrated across the government and beyond culture policies. It considers the creative economy not only from the merit good perspective (e.g. the need to preserve cultural heritage and ensure equal access to it across population), but recognises it as a tool for job creation, income and wealth generation, local development and social impact.

• The Orange Economy policy is structured around seven management strategies witnessing rapid implementation as well as refinement to support and reactivate the sectors throughout the pandemic and in the recovery:

• Information (1) gathering and mapping initiatives have reinforced information on the creative economy, increasing policy precision at national and local levels. Institutions (2) facilitate access to financial opportunities. Between August 2018 and December 2021, over 120 000 firms benefited from credit lines from Bancóldex, a State bank.

• The transversal policy approach is helping to develop new cultural infrastructure (3), drawing funding from different sources. Similarly, strategic inter-ministerial partnerships generate a diverse entrepreneurial policy for creative industry (4). Creative economy policy supports value chain integration (5) through platforms for networking, export assistance and tourism.

• Colombian skills policies are among those that have most integrated the needs of creative economy workers, driving inclusion (6). The National Training Service (SENA) adapts its programmes extensively to culture, such as its Entrepreneurship Fund. In 2019, Colombia introduced a National Qualifications Framework (SNC), formalising skills qualifications. As part of its inspiration (7) line, Colombia supports audience development, intellectual property and innovation, including through reinforced grant-based programmes for cultural producers.

• New policy perspectives could help further leverage the creative economy strategy:

  • Expand information channels to creative economy actors who struggle to access information, such as through the deployment of new observatories, particularly in rural and distant urban areas that have shown promising mobilisation around creative economy policy, such as through the creation of local Nodes or Orange Development Areas (ADNs).

  • Local conditions can pose a structural challenge for local governments in some rural or peripheral areas. Involving the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development within the CNEN may open new synergies with rural policy investments and the Ministry’s push for urban-rural links. Programmes such as the Orange Road could be expanded. Links with existing rural development policies, such as Territorial Pacts, also offer potential, which could structure intra-regional cooperation.

  • As across all OECD countries, COVID-19 drew greater policy attention to the social protection of creative workers. Initial policy steps, such as Periodic Economic Benefits (BEPS), could open new opportunities to meet artists’ social protection needs.

2.1. Culture as a development driver

2.1.1. Colombia pioneers a holistic approach to develop the creative economy as part of its development model

Colombia promotes culture and creativity as a development driver. Colombia sees culture and creativity as a driver of social and economic transformation within its National Development Plan, and as a tool to help meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (National Council of the Orange Economy, 2019[1]). The creative (Orange) economy policy is mainstreamed across policy portfolios, from industry and infrastructure to education and employment, beyond traditional cultural policies. This policy mainstreaming helps to support culture and the creative economy not only from the merit good perspective (e.g. the need to preserve cultural heritage and ensure equal access to it across population), but also as a tool for job creation, income and wealth generation, local development and social impact.

The Comprehensive Policy of the Orange Economy, launched in 2017, introduced seven strategic policy lines. This chapter provides an overview of this novel transversal policy, presents its precedence in Colombian cultural policies and assesses its implementation. For the purposes of this chapter, the Orange Economy refers to the specific policy framework. Creative economy refers more broadly to activities in this field in Colombia, which can include those of the Orange Economy policy. In 2017, Law 1834 on the Orange Economy (Colombian Congress, 2017[2]) provided a legal framework for the policy structured around seven policy areas (see full description later in this chapter):

1. Information – strategies to generate sectoral information, data and knowledge, as well as strengthening dialogue between culture, creativity, the economy and sustainable development;

2. Institutions – strategies to create new financing instruments and coordination tools;

3. Infrastructure – strategies to create new and existing public goods and infrastructure for culture;

4. Industry – strategies to reinforce entrepreneurship and the creative economy ecosystem;

5. Integration – strategies to increase the integration of value chains and the circulation of creative and cultural goods and services;

6. Inclusion – strategies to develop skills and capacity;

7. Inspiration – strategies to raise the production of and support innovation within cultural and creative goods and services;

The lines and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) that they aim to fulfil are presented in Figure 2.1 as they have been developed within the Orange Economy policy.

Figure 2.1. The seven strategic lines of the Orange Economy policy

Note: Figure adapted from CNEN document.

Source: (National Council of the Orange Economy, 2019[1]), Comprehensive Policy of the Orange Economy, https://economianaranja.gov.co/media/zpvnxktd/comprehensive-policy-of-the-orange-economy.pdf.

Colombia articulates the creative economy policy with the existing objectives of cultural policy, such as the fulfilment of cultural rights, with the objective of raising the sustainability of cultural activities and their support to development (National Council of the Orange Economy, 2019[1]). In addition to its vision to increase the economic sustainability of cultural and creative activities, the seven-area approach also considers policy dimensions such as education, training and knowledge transfer, labour and governance.

The Orange Economy policy builds on and expands Government cultural policies reinforced over the past decades. In 1991, Colombia inaugurated a new constitution, which recognises the role of the State in cultural policy, the cultural diversity of Colombia, and Colombian citizens’ right to culture.1 The 1991 constitution forms the legal basis for Colombia’s cultural policies, expanded in the following years. In 1997 in particular, Colombia’s General Law on Culture (397) created the Ministry of Culture, formalising and increasing the State’s role in cultural planning. Since 1997, incremental legislation built the legal basis for policy action in culture, introducing new funding streams and sectoral programmes, as well as promoting cultural participation (see Box 2.1).

Box 2.1. The evolution of cultural policies in Colombia

Since the creation of the Colombia Ministry of Culture in 1997, legislation has built funding mechanisms, sectoral support programmes, institutions and instruments for culture and the creative economy:

• In 1998, Decree on Mixed Funds (1493) provided the Ministry of Culture grant mechanisms for cultural production;

• In 2001, the Culture Stamp Law (666) gave new taxation powers to subnational governments to support cultural services;

• In 2003, The Cinema Law (814) ushered in new sources of funding for Colombian audio-visual production;

• In 2008, the Cultural Heritage Law (1185) increased responsibility for heritage protection, promotion and management at the local and regional levels;

• In 2010, Public Library Law (1379) regulated and reinforced the public library network (Red Nacional de Bibliotecas Públicas);

• In 2011, Public Performance Law (2011) introduced a levy mechanism for subnational governments to collect tax revenue from public performances, such as concerts;

• In 2012, the Law for Cinema Development in Colombia (1556) provided new incentives for filming audio-visual productions in Colombia, to drive tourism, the film industry and Colombia’s image abroad.

The evolving legal framework around culture translated to the growth in public policies implemented in this field in Colombia. Since the Ministry of Culture’s creation in 1997, two national programmes, the National Concertation Programme and the National Stimulus Programme, have constituted major direct public funding sources for art and culture. Between 1992 and 1994, Colombia created its National Culture System. In 2010, Colombia’s Economic and Social Policy Council passed norm 3659, giving new crosscutting support to the cultural industries.

Policy attention also gave rise to cultural participation strategies. In 2006, Colombia introduced the National Music Plan for Coexistence, reflecting plans undertaken to raise engagement in culture, such as for reading (2003) or access to the arts (2006-2010). Between 2001 and 2010, a consultation-built National Culture Plan articulated a decade-long vision for cultural development in Colombia. In 2013, Colombia joined the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.

Source: See corresponding laws and (Ministry of Culture, 2001[3]), Plan nacional de cultura 2001-2010: Hacia una ciudadanía democrática cultural, un plan colectivo desde y para un país plural.

The Orange Economy policy is embedded in Colombia’s National Development Plan 2018-2022. New policies for the creative economy are articulated within a broad socio-economic agenda. This has helped ensure the policy benefits from coordination not only between ministries, but also within a host of policies with which it can complement and identify synergies. A volley of legislation was passed to give legal support to new policy instruments, including the major actions below:

• In 2017, The National Law of the Orange Economy (1834) introduced the creative economy as an area of strategic focus for industry, public policy and development. In 2020, Decree 1204 legally adopted the Orange Economy policy.

• In 2018, Decree 1935 created the National Council of the Orange Economy (CNEN) – an inter-ministerial coordination body.

• In 2019, Copyright Law 1915 strengthened intellectual protection for creative producers;

• In 2020, Decree 697 defined creative districts (ADN) structure (see Chapter 3), a new tax incentive for creative economy investment and the tools available to Colombia Crea Talento (CoCrea), a new public-private partnership (PPP) responsible for creative economy support;

• In 2020, Decree 286 ushered in a seven year income tax exemption for creative economy initiatives;

• In 2020 and 2021, in the pandemic context, Colombia passed Law 2070 and Decree 880 respectively. These measures introduced Foncultura, a new instrument for creative economy funding;2

• In 2021, CONPES 4062 reinforced intellectual protection for the creative economy creators;3

• In June 2022, CONPES 4090 set the basis for policy action in the creative economy from 2022 to 2027, such as a continued inter-Ministerial approach and over 50 actions amounting for over COP 311 000 million (DNP, 2022[4]).

2.1.2. An inter-ministerial council supports policy attention for culture across government

The National Council of the Orange Economy (CNEN) provides horizontal governance for the creative economy. In Colombia, National Councils support the government and the President to formulate, co-ordinate and implement public policies. Prior OECD research has underlined the key role played by Councils to influence national policy, highlighting the policy importance accorded to the creative economy (OECD, 2013[5]). Created through Decree 1935 in 2018, the CNEN formulates general political guidelines and coordinates inter-institutional actions needed for the promotion, protection, dissemination and development of the creative economy4 (Republic of Colombia, 2018[6]).

The CNEN is composed of the following seven ministries and five national entities.

• The Ministry of the Interior

• The Ministry of Finance and Public Credit

• The Ministry of Labour

• The Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism

• The Ministry of National Education

• The Ministry of Information, Technology and Communications

• The Ministry of Culture

• The National Planning Department (DNP)

• The National Administrative Department of Statistics (DANE)

• The National Training Service (SENA)

• The National Directorate of Copyright (DNDA)

• The Territorial Development Bank (FINDETER)

Civil servants or civil society can also participate in the CNEN upon invitation. Decree 1935 assigns the Council a group of responsibilities to meet its objectives, such as defining cross-ministerial strategies, developing information available on the creative economy or defining cultural policies for artistic and cultural development.

The creation of the CNEN reflects the priority the government places on cultural and creative policy. A recent note for the G20’s Culture Working Group highlights mainstreaming culture across policy areas as a priority for OECD countries’ in developing the potential of culture and the creative economy (OECD, 2021[7]). Across the OECD, few examples exist of a holistic policy strategy on the scale of Colombia’s approach, which inserts culture across multiple policy domains. The presence of Ministries that drive economic development – such as the Ministries of Finance and Public Credit, as well as the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, calls attention to the policy’s intent to develop a public financial toolkit to accompany the creative economy’s development. The Ministry of Labour and the Ministry of National Education, meanwhile, help ensure training and education policies also mainstream creative and cultural skills. The CNEN offers potential for expansion to other public bodies as the creative economy evolves, such as through cooperation with Colombia’s Ministry of Health and Social Protection, or Colombia’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Public bodies sitting on the CNEN also shape the country’s policy planning for the creative economy. The inclusion of the National Administrative Department of Statistics (DANE) in the Council, for example, reflects the policy’s focus on developing information on the creative economy. Participation from the National Training Service (SENA) also helps drive culture’s mainstreaming in the country’s training programmes, and reinforces the policy’s reach to the strong network of SENA’s local offices. The country’s National Planning Department (DNP) reinforces the Council’s centrality in policy as the DNP implements, monitors and evaluates the country’s National Development Plan, the country’s socio-economic policy roadmap.

2.1.1. Subnational governments share responsibility with the State for the creative economy

Decentralisation reforms have granted greater responsibility to sub-national governments in the field of culture. Departmental (departamento) and municipal governments are administratively and politically autonomous, in accordance with the Colombian State’s organisational structure.5 In 1997, Colombia’s General Law on Culture granted subnational governments responsibility in culture, particularly in the management of local cultural heritage and goods of cultural interest. Further reforms in 2001 and 2008, enhanced subnational government responsibility over culture, specifically in the management of cultural heritage6. A 2011 reform on taxation of public performances also reinforced subnational revenues and administration of performing arts infrastructure.

Subnational governments implement national cultural policy, define complementary strategies and manage local cultural heritage. Multilevel governance responsibilities are summarised in Table 2.1. Importantly, municipalities have progressively gained responsibility as economic developers of the cultural and creative sectors. For example, subnational governments are responsible for the construction and maintenance of local cultural infrastructure, and the development of local markets for the creative economy. Municipalities have also grown their function in engaging citizens in culture. In 2019, subnational government expenditure on recreation, culture and religion accounted for 84% of the total share of public expenditure in this field in Colombia (see Chapter 4).

Table 2.1. Colombia’s municipalities play a leading role in defining cultural activities

Responsibility for culture across levels of government in Colombia

Legal basis	State	Department	Municipality
Law 397 of 1997 Law 715 of 2001 Law 1185 of 2008	National decadal cultural plan. Responsibility for determining the nation’s national cultural plan consultation with the National Cultural System (SNCu). National cultural heritage. Through the Ministry of Culture, the State declares and manages national monuments and cultural assets. Artistic and cultural education. The State is responsible for the population’s education in the arts and culture. Promotion of artistic and cultural production. The State is responsible for stimulating cultural processes, projects and activities, respecting the nation’s cultural diversity. Cultural participation. The State will guarantee Colombians’ access to cultural manifestations, goods and services, with special attention to those in greatest need. Cultural infrastructure. The Ministry of Culture and national entities, provides infrastructure required by public spaces for cultural activities. Museum collections. The Ministry of Culture supports conservation and restoration programmes for the collections housed across museums.	Regional cultural heritage. Declaring and managing cultural heritage and assets of cultural interest in departmental scope. Inter-municipal cooperation. Department coordinate municipalities to develop activities to promote arts promotion of the arts and all forms of cultural expression. Dialogue with civil society. Serve as a platform for dialogue between the State, civil society and indigenous communities for the formulation and execution of policies and cultural processes.	Local culture heritage. Declaring and managing cultural heritage and assets of cultural interest in municipal scope. Access to culture. Promote artistic and cultural access, innovation, creation, and production. Information, research and education. Support and strengthen information, research, communication and education/training processes. Local cultural infrastructure. Support the construction, endowment and maintenance of municipal cultural infrastructure. Protect local cultural heritage in its different expressions and support its integration into civic life and economic development. Network development. Support the development of networks for cultural information and goods, services and cultural institutions, such as through museums, libraries, archives and bands. Municipal cultural plans. Formulate, orient and execute municipal plans, programs, projects and events, articulated with the national decadal plan. Dialogue with civil society. Serve as a platform for dialogue between the State, civil society and indigenous communities for the formulation and execution of policies and cultural processes.

Note: Non-exhaustive list of laws for legal basis.

Source: OECD and (DNP, 2003[9]), Competencias Sectoriales por invel de Gobierno, https://colaboracion.dnp.gov.co/CDT/Desarrollo%20Territorial/Competencias.pdf.

Colombia’s subnational governments have varying levels of administrative and financial capacity to exercise their power in the field of culture. OECD research identifies a degree of asymmetric decentralisation in Colombia, as the country’s subnational governments of the same level have varying amounts of political, administrative and fiscal responsibilities (OECD, 2019[8]). Asymmetric decentralisation is common across OECD countries and can offer advantages. If leveraged effectively, it can foster efficiency, accommodate contextual differences and support institutional development in multilevel governance systems. For example, in France, governments have put in place innovative institutions to govern cultural policy across levels of government (Box 2.2).

Box 2.2. In France, cultural policy administration has evolved to tighten links with territories

In France, the Ministry of Culture has opened local offices and created new territorial structures

As in Colombia, France has a unitary State structure where subnational governments do not share the same level of political power and responsibility as federal countries. As in Colombia, major decentralisation reforms in France also occurred in the 1980s and into the 2000s. During this period, for example, subnational governments were granted the responsibility to “experiment” in certain policy domains for determined amounts of time, a lever seized by subnational governments to grow their role in tourism. As in Colombia, a Ministry of Culture directs the country’s cultural policy, complemented by a host of organisations that support multi-level governance:

• The internal organisation of the Ministry is characterised by a division between heritage, artistic creation, and media and creative industry policy;

• Regional directorates of the Ministry of Culture (DRAC) act as local relays between the Ministry and subnational governments. DRAC’s have a particularly relevant role in France’s overseas territories and departments, where geographic isolation makes these institutions a pillar of national cultural administration actions at the local level;

• Public establishments (établissements publics) have administrative autonomy and fulfil specific policy tasks;

• Nationally competent services (services à compétence nationale) take up specific roles that cannot be delegated to subnational governments, such as administration of certain national museums, research centres or archives.

Such institutional innovations may offer policy perspectives for Colombia as the country’s subnational governments articulate new policies around cultural and creative sectors such as the continued development of creative clusters and the sector’s growth across municipalities and departments.

Source: (OECD, 2016[10]), Actors Italia: Attrattori culturali per il turismo e l'occupazione nelle regioni del sud Italia, https://www.oecd.org/cfe/leed/AA_Confronto_internazionale_2016.pdf.

Some key differences between administrative units in Colombia include7:

• The special status of Bogotá Capital District (D.C.), which benefits from its special legal status since 1991, reinforced through an organic statute in 1993, which gives the city’s administration greater political powers;

• Indigenous territories in departments such as Guainía, Vaupés and Amazonas benefit from specific legal powers and autonomy, particularly in the administration of State resources;

• The “special district” status of certain areas with specific political, commercial, historical or cultural characteristics, such as Barranquilla, Buenaventura, Cartagena de Indias and Santa Marta. In particular, districts can benefit from a tailored funding mechanism, and greater autonomy to administer tourist or port areas;

• Metropolitan areas (áreas metropolitanas) allow certain groups of municipalities to administer certain services jointly, such as transportation. This arrangement exists in areas such as the Valle de Aburrá, Bucaramanga, Barranquilla, Cúcuta, Centro Occidente and Valle del Cacique Upar.

Asymmetric institutional arrangements can be productive for creative economy development in Colombia. Those subnational governments with greater powers, such as districts and metropolitan areas, may be able to leverage their stronger capacity to create policies that support the creative economy beyond cultural policies, mobilising domains such as transportation or public investment. Those with less administrative autonomy, meanwhile, may be able to benefit from stronger dialogue with the State to build capacity and expertise. Dialogue between municipalities or departments with difference capacities may also help produce policy learning processes in the medium-to-long term.

2.1.1. Local government capacity: a lever for creative economy impact across Colombia

Asymmetric decentralisation in Colombia partially reflects differences in the administrative and economic capacity of different subnational governments. In 2014, the OECD calculated that Colombia ranked third among OECD countries, and approximately twice the OECD average, in terms of inequality in GDP per capita across TL2 regions based on the Gini index (OECD, 2019[8]). OECD research on Colombia’s urban and rural policies have also highlighted significant differences (OECD, 2022[11]; OECD, forthcoming[12]). Structural factors such as accountability in governance, historic urban/rural divides, civil unrest and labour market informality vary significantly across Colombia, contributing to significant differences between regions (OECD, forthcoming[12]).

Structural territorial inequalities can translate into disparities in local governments’ capacity to implement creative economy policies. In Colombia’s special districts and metropolitan areas, stronger financial capacity and staff numbers may create more favourable conditions for the creative economy to grow. Moreover, the existence of creative economy clusters, an investor ecosystem and existing dialogue with the sector, facilitate policy implementation. The experience of local government staff in collaborating with external actors, such as the private sector, universities and civil society, as well as strong local government ownership of creative economy development, also contributes to the local uptake of creative economy policy. Political commitment can also be a relevant factor in some territories, as the association of certain creative economy policies with local political priorities may affect development. In 2020, 544 municipalities (out of 1 113 total municipalities) had adapted the creative economy in their subnational government plans8.

Taking stock of structural challenges, specific policies have been deployed to reinforce local government capacity. For example, a specific regional development Deputy Ministry is devoted to data delivery, dialogue and capacity building with subnational governments in smaller agglomerations. Anchored in Colombia’s 2018-2022 National Development Plan (PND), the Ministry of Culture also accompanies local governments in the establishment of creative economy “Nodes” and “Tables”, local governance frameworks based on the involvement of actors from academia, business, civil society and the public sector – the so called “quadruple helix”.9 Local governance boards made up of local stakeholders were created, where actors meet, deliberate, agree on positions and forge common projects and roadmaps (Ministry of Culture, 2021[13]). Through their regional geographic scale, Nodes are also a platform to take into account municipal differences in the development of creative economy policies. The dialogue started by Nodes and Tables have helped stimulate local stakeholder consultation and create the base for locally driven strategic planning around cultural and projects, such as Orange Development Areas (ADN)10.

As a complement to the Nodes strategy, “Creative Agendas” also help overcome structural capacity challenges. Nodes draft Creative Agendas as roadmaps for creative economy development based on stakeholder agreement. Agendas act as strategic and operational documents that promote an integrated vision of a region’s strengths and specificities (Ministry of Culture, 2021[13]). Agendas have been a constructive initiative to encourage dialogue between local actors and foster a common place-based plan for creative economy development. They are also helpful to encourage a regional-level cultural and creative strategy based on dialogue between regional and municipal actors. Agendas have revised creative initiatives such as competitiveness and innovation agendas, tourist corridor projects, competitiveness roadmaps or registered cluster work plans. In 2022, 19 agendas have been inaugurated, composed of over 180 projects and USD 1.3 million in investment has been generated through creative agendas11. Paired with the Nodes programmes, Agendas are part of a policy toolkit for local governments.

2.2. Implementation of Colombia’s creative economy strategy

Seven policy fields guide Colombia’s interventions as part of its creative economy policy: Information (i), Institutions (ii), Infrastructure (iii), Industry (iv), Integration (v), Inclusion (vi) and Inspiration (vii). The seven policy lines reflect creative economy policy’s objective to support culture across the creative economy value chain.12 The Orange Economy policy has translated into an implementation across areas of government, giving rise to new organisations, as well as programmes within existing institutions and links with existing policies. An overview of the implementation progress, opportunities and bottlenecks is presented below.

2.2.1. Tools are increasing policy precision, though some information shortages exist for actors

First among policy lines, a set of policies seek to drive information (i) available on the sector, specifically to inform policies. Information policies also involve those aiming to strengthen Colombia’s capacity to analyse the creative economy, for example through studies, mapping and research. Since 2019, multiple mapping studies of the cultural and creative sectors have been carried out at the local level, helping municipalities refine their understanding of the sector and its challenges (see Chapter 1). The Ministry of Culture carried out the mapping studies with the State’s Territorial Development Bank (FINDETER). Studies included quantitative information on the sectors at the local level, results from local surveys and workshops as well as strategic recommendations. These studies are a resource of information for Orange Economy Nodes, Creative Agendas and broader subnational cultural policies.

Under the Orange Economy policy, Colombia reformed its cultural satellite account, first created in in 2002. Colombia’s satellite account reform reflects an expansion of the definition for the creative economy to recognise a greater number of actors within creative economy value chains. This move aims to generate stronger coherence and complementarity between policies by recognising activities, practices and traditions that had previously been absent in statistical definitions of the sector. For instance, Colombia includes parts of alcohol production in its statistical definition of the creative economy, to incorporate traditional brewing and viche liquor production. These efforts are yielding a growing bank of information on the sector (see Chapter 1 for further details).

Information policies also involve network development. Networks allow creative economy actors to circulate information and ideas amongst themselves, enable a dialogue between government and business, and can support investor attraction in creative initiatives. These communication channels have been growing. The Department of National Statistics (DANE), which has led many of the information policies, launched an information system for the creative economy (SIENA), to communicate and publish statistical information on the creative economy.

Information policies have boosted knowledge of the sector amongst stakeholders, though some more isolated actors may struggle to benefit. Colombia has opened local territorial observatories for the creative economy in Medellín and Cali, under a national observatory. The institutions organise conferences, publish material, engage on social media and networks. The observatory boards are composed of actors from the “quadruple helix” of civil society, academia, business and the public sector, in addition to an observatory leader, to foster dialogue. Territorial observatories provide a new platform to increase the circulation of information on creative economy opportunities, particularly outside Bogotá D.C. In small or medium-sized agglomerations where culture is receiving strong policy attention, such as Barranquilla or Ibagué, new observatories could build on momentum by creating a space dedicated to data and information. In rural areas or small municipalities, among informal workers and micro entrepreneurs, however, information on the creative economy’s instruments may still be difficult to access.

2.2.2. Tailored financing is reaching a growing number of entrepreneurs

Institutional (ii) development includes developing strategies and financial institutions for the creative economy. Under institutional actions, Colombia recognised a need to strengthen the legal framework around the creative economy. Institutional policy also includes public loan instruments tailored to creative producers, particularly through one of Colombia’s public banks, Bancóldex13. In 2019, Colombia also ushered in CoCrea. CoCrea is a Public Private Partnership (PPP) that administers a tax incentive for creative economy projects based on a competitive application process. Multiple other tax incentives also exist as part of Colombia’s support for the creative economy. Tax exemptions recognise that creative economy financing needs are greater than the private resources available without incentives (Colombia’s financial ecosystem for the creative economy is discussed in detail in Chapter 4, and includes a growing set of direct financing, public debt financing and tax incentives for creative economy entrepreneurs and investors).

Creative entrepreneurs are benefiting from this range of financial options, though low capacity firms may struggle to seize opportunities. Evidence on policy uptake reveals a large share of actors are seizing opportunities. For example, between August 2018 and December 2021, over 120 000 firms benefited from Bancóldex credit lines (Bancóldex, 2021[14]). Results from CoCrea show both significant policy reach to new actors, but also suggest a share of low capacity firms struggle to obtain financing due to a lack of appeal to investors and banks. In Cali, for example, a poll conducted as part of local mapping exercises showed that over 23% of actors surveyed identified project financing as the most pressing necessity facing their organisation (Ministry of Culture and FINDETER, 2019[15]). The mapping exercises also suggest some actors lack capacity to contract services, and may face difficulties commercialising their products. Capacity building programmes performed by the National Training Service (SENA) are providing initial solutions for this group, and support through dedicated financing programming may offer ways to build long-term capacity.

Reinforcing outreach to investors may also help adapt financing to the needs and specificities of creative firms. Nationally, an Orange Bonds programme (Bonos Naranja) helps attract investors to creative economy initiatives through financially attractive public bonds. Locally, the Nodes and Tables strategy, aiming to create local governance structures based on the “quadruple helix”, complements the new financial tools deployed to involve the private sector in discussion around local creative economy initiatives.

2.2.3. Cross-cutting policy is helping attract public and private funds to cultural infrastructure, though structural conditions challenge some rural areas

Infrastructure (iii) entails policies to develop cultural infrastructure and public goods for sectoral development. The Orange Economy policy deploys specific policy initiatives to accelerate creative economy infrastructure development. Through this line, Colombia plans new physical infrastructure projects and develops public goods needed for the creative economy. This can range from cultural spaces such as theatres or concert halls, tourism infrastructure, as well as tools needed for cultural training and education.

The infrastructure line is particularly transversal in its use of instruments across government, such as funding mechanisms from the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism. This has included links with funding instruments such as FONTUR, a tourism fund within the Ministry, or the State’s General System of Royalties (SGR), which provides funding for culture from the country’s natural resource extraction. Colombia also created new funding lines within the State’s Territorial Development Bank (Findeter), specifically to fund cultural infrastructure in territories that submit requests. Colombia encourages territories to develop creative districts, Orange Development Areas (ADN)14 including through a specific tax incentive for infrastructure development, Works for Taxes (obras por impuestos), which allows ADN investors to pay taxes in the form of infrastructure investment. The subject of detailed discussion in Chapter 3, creative districts represent a push to encourage local governments to reflect on competitive creative clusters.

Rural and less populated areas have a rich cultural offering that may be further valorised through strong infrastructure. In ADNs outside of major urban areas, local governments are leveraging heritage and tourism to develop creative districts. Local development conditions, however, can pose a structural challenge in certain areas in order to benefit from the cultural infrastructure lines. Colombia’s Department of National Statistics (DANE), estimates that 24% of Colombia’s population lives in rural areas, while over 80% of Colombia’s territory is rural (Ministerio de Vivienda, 2021[16]). Development patterns in Colombia are characterised by dense urban centres with poorly connected surrounding rural areas (OECD, 2014[17]). Coordination between infrastructure projects, particularly linking urban cores to rural peripheries, may facilitate access to and development of cultural infrastructure in those areas facing relative isolation. Use of rural planning instruments such as territorial pacts (Pactos Territoriales) may offer new policy synergies.

The Ministry of Culture is engaged in capacity building missions within small municipalities, though untapped policy synergies may exist. Chapter 3 provides examples of capacity building missions carried out in rural areas or small municipalities by the Ministry. An opportunity, for example, may involve including the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development within the National Orange Economy Council (CNEN). Certain municipalities have recognised that extending cultural initiatives to less urban districts may also reduce unequal access. A study on rural cultural policies in Norway suggests community-building, local heritage and democratic decision-making may be particularly important factors to develop a locally driven cultural policy in rural areas or small towns (Lysgård, 2016[18]). Colombia’s municipal cultural councils may be well placed to adopt a community-led approach due to their diverse composition across the quadruple helix (see 2.3.2 for policy considerations). Reinforcing the capacity and centrality of councils in rural or less populated areas, and in particular their capacity to dialogue with State actors and other municipal government departments, may offer an avenue for local cultural projects to connect with physical infrastructure or public investment instruments from across government.

2.2.4. Programmes cater to a diverse group of entrepreneurs, while social protection for creative workers gains policy traction

Through the industry (iv) line, Colombia sets out entrepreneurship policies for creative economy actors. Entrepreneurship policies are carried out through strategic partnerships with Orange Economy Council members, such as National Training Centre (SENA) or iNNpulsa, the innovation agency of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism. Specific entrepreneurship policies include workshops to train sectoral actors on financial management, such as the Sacúdete Crea centres for youth entrepreneurship, or the Entrepreneurship Fund (Fondo Emprender) of the National Training Service (SENA), a main source of business capacity building programmes. The Entrepreneurship Fund is a particularly important source of entrepreneurship support due to SENA’s presence across Colombian regions.15

The Ruta Naranja programme is a source of potential policy expansion. The programme has sent experts throughout Colombia’s territories to train, advice and provide technical assistance in the creative economy, meeting a key capacity need for creative producers in remote or isolated areas. Industry support also includes programmes to support internationalisation and cultural tourism through Colombia’s National Tourism Fund (FONTUR). Entrepreneurship programmes have been implemented to cover a host of needs in tandem with other CNEN actors (discussed in greater depth in Chapter 4).

A strategic orientation of entrepreneurship policy in Colombia focuses on workers in the crafts and traditional trades sector. The State runs a group of initiatives with Artisans of Colombia (Artesanías de Colombia), a craft promotion body of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism. Artisans of Colombia has been a key partner for the Orange Economy policy across different areas, highlighting the particular policy attention brought to the crafts sector. For example, policy enabled collaboration between the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, and ProColombia to support a web map for tourist engagement with territories where traditional crafts are produced.

In 2022, a major policy advance includes the Law of Traditional Crafts (Ley de Oficios 2184). This has been part of Colombia’s efforts to structure training for crafts in order formalise the sector and lever its role as an agent of local development. The legislative act created a National Council for the Development of Trade Activity (Consejo Nacional para el Desarrollo de la Actividad Artesanal), a National Single Registry for Trade Workers (Registro Único de Artesanos de Colombia) and a Network of Trades Peoples and Traditional Crafts Workers (Red de Pueblos Artesanales y de Oficios). They all give impetus to the strategic development, formalisation and promotion of this sector. The law also mainstreams the teaching of traditional crafts in formal primary and secondary education.

Social protection for creative entrepreneurs and workers has been rising on the policy agenda. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed many of the fragilities of cultural and creative sectors across the OECD, including reduced access to social protection for cultural and creative workers in many countries (OECD, 2020[19]). In 2018, Colombia extended the Periodic Economic Benefits (BEPS) programme to creative workers, known as “Orange BEPS” (IISA, 2018[20]). BEPS is a 2015 social security administration (Colpensiones) programme that provides an alternative to self-employed workers not making pension contributions through salaried work. Self-employed workers contribute capital to an account on a voluntary basis, providing them with a bi-monthly sum for life when they reach retirement age. Subnational governments, who can draw 10% of revenue from the Procultura levy, administer BEPS funds.

The BEPS system incentivises contributions and has shown strong results. By 2022, BEPS’s expansion to cultural workers reached 783 municipalities out of 1 013 in 24 of 32 departments in Colombia.16 By 2022, COP 293 378 million have been disbursed to benefit 11 369 creators and cultural managers through both BEPS modalities, 10 400 in the form of bi-monthly payments for men over 61 and women over 56 years of age (anualidad vitalicia), and 969 as disbursements for a savings incentive (motivación al ahorro).17 Subnational governments decide benefit amounts for savings incentives, which are made to cultural workers as they contribute to BEPS before retirement age. The State complements this modality through a 20% incentive on savings, and a life insurance scheme if yearly savings reach COP 200 000 (Barranquilla City Hall, 2020[21]). Although BEPS does not provide a full pension to creative economy workers, the sum it provides is an initial step towards more comprehensive coverage. Programmes such as BEPS have arisen to take into account high levels of informality among Colombia’s creative economy workers, allowing individuals to contribute independently of their employment status.

Structural challenges such as high levels of informality and wealth inequalities in Colombia make social protection reforms the purview of a broader policy agenda. Ongoing reforms to universalise social protection, however, can consider steps to ensure creative workers are integrated into programmes that provide protection against life course risks. International experiences may offer examples of interest for Colombia to consider as choices are made regarding the social protection of creative economy workers. In Argentina, creative workers have been mainstreamed into the general social security system through specific legislation (Box 2.3). In France, the State developed specific hybrid schemes for the protection of creative workers that are tailored to their working conditions while ensuring social insurance. As across OECD countries, challenges remain to ensure social protection for creative workers encompassing adequate protection against social risks, such as unemployment, old age and occupation health and safety.

Box 2.3. Social security and labour protection for creative workers in Argentina and France

Argentina and France take different policy paths to lift social protection for creative workers

Countries have taken different approaches to ensure artists and cultural workers benefit from equal social protection as others in the world of work.

Argentina mainstreams cultural workers into the existing social protection system. The country passed laws to helps actors, singers and other cultural workers benefit from a fair estimate of working years to the country’s social security system. Argentine legislation accounts for the project-based and fluctuating nature of creative work by making conditions to qualify for social security adaptive to creative work. The Actors law, Law No. 27.023, states that 120 days of work for this group of workers will represent one year of service for social security. Laws in Argentina also qualify all cultural workers as dependent workers, thus extending labour legislation to this group. Consequently, cultural workers in Argentina can benefit from stronger labour protections than other self-employed workers.

In France, a special code within the social security system has been developed for creative workers. Like in Argentina, the French system has adapted its policy to the needs of creative workers as it recognises fluctuating social security contributions. France’s insurance against old age for cultural workers also allows for the collection of contributions based on different sources of income common to creative workers, such as royalties, copyright fees or commissions, in addition to declared income from workers and employers. In 2018, the social security administration collected nearly EUR 300 million in total contributions. Accredited bodies, such as the Association for the Management of Social Security for Writers (Agessa), tailor contribution rules more specifically to different types of creative workers. For instance; authors, can chose to declare their insurable income contributions on three different types of income depending on their preference and specific situation, monthly copyright income, non-commercial benefits or total turnover. France also makes supplementary pensions available for different groups of creative occupations through the National Fund for Complementary Retirement for Artists-Authors (IRCEC).

Source: (Galian, Licata and Stern-Plaza, 2021[22]), Social Protection in the Cultural and Creative Sector: Country Practices and Innovations, ILO Working Paper 28 (Geneva, ILO), https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_dialogue/---sector/documents/publication/wcms_781638.pdf.

2.2.5. Creative economy policy engages along the value chain, though reinforcing focus on cultural participation can amplify impact

Integration (v) policies increase circulation of cultural and creative goods and services, targeting a specific value chain link. This includes both nationally oriented and international initiatives. Nationally, the framework has seen the Ministry of Culture develop initiatives to support value chain linkages beyond production, such as distribution and consumption. These initiatives have often been prepared in partnership with strategic market institutions. For example, Colombia has strengthened distribution channels for writers and editors through the “Colombia reads” (Colombia lee) digital platform. Through this initiative, run in conjunction with the Colombian Books Chamber and Idartes, Bogotá’s art institute, the Ministry of Culture created an online market platform as a circulation space to buy and sell books.

Internationally, Colombia’s export and FDI promotion body, ProColombia, has developed multiple activities to support creative economy actors. The body provides targeted FDI and export support through trade missions, networking events, expositions and roundtables to display Colombian firms to potential investors, and help position creative economy exports in international markets. Examples from across ProColombia’s activity portfolio have included foreign market research to better leverage international tourism markets, the promotion of Colombian cultural events within the Marca País national branding strategy and participation in multi-sector trade events outside Colombia.

Integration policy has engaged multiple policy efforts related to expanding tourism potential based on identified cultural assets. The Ministry of Culture engages the Deputy Ministry of Tourism to support joint commercial initiatives or projects, such as the “Colombia at the table” (Colombia a la mesa) strategy to promote Colombian gastronomy to potential visitors. Integration has also included efforts to develop and promote the Colombia’s gastronomic production, particularly for tourism. For example, the 2021 Law of Viche (Ley 2158) provided protected heritage status to Viche alcohol, with strong links to the Afro-Colombian community of the Pacific coast. Orange Development Areas (ADNs) offer strong articulation potential within the value chain approach of the integration line, to strengthen the circulation and commercialisation of creative economy goods and services.

Cultural participation

National plans to raise readership and library capacity are potentially replicable programmes to raise cultural participation. Cultural participation relates to the ways and forms individuals access or create cultural goods and services (OECD, 2022[23]). The creative economy policy includes a volley of educational policies that increase engagement of people in preschool to secondary school in culture. For example, Colombia has created pedagogical and curricular guidelines for artistic and cultural education in primary and secondary school. Policies to support citizen participation in culture after secondary school, particularly to those facing obstacles, offers potential to further raise social impact while stimulating demand for the creative economy. The country’s history with cultural participation policies offers experience to replicate or innovate, such as through policy links with new areas including health and well-being, or rehabilitation of those in the criminal justice system.

The New European Agenda for Culture may provide policy perspectives for Colombia in the field of cultural participation. The New Agenda emphasizes links between cultural participation and specific inclusion-oriented objectives (Box 2.4). Colombia is pioneering a transversal policy to support entrepreneurs along the value chain, strengthen an ecosystem and generate new information. In this regard, demand-side policies may constitute a complementary area for cross-policy development. Cultural participation policies can help raise participation in key areas of creative economy development, such as raising domestic engagement in Colombian art, as well as benefiting from positive social crossovers from culture’s links with social policies. In France, for example, the Ministry of Culture collaborates with the Ministry of Health to run a common policy for access to arts and culture for those in the medical system, a link which has been fruitful to fight isolation of those in retirement homes (French Ministry of Culture, 2022[24]). On a local level, across the OECD, examples are growing of new policy links between culture and social policies (OECD, 2022[23]). For example in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, museum visits are encouraged for those over 65 suffering from mental or physical illness (France Culture, 2018[25]). Further recommendations on how to advance cultural participation in Colombia can be found in Chapters 1 and 3.

Box 2.4. The New European Agenda for Culture, 2018-2022 includes policy lines for cultural participation

The EU’s latest cultural agenda encourages coordinated policy actions to support culture’s social and economic dimensions

The New European Agenda for Culture aims to give EU Member States policy direction and coherence to mobilise the cultural and creative sectors in the Union’s 27 Member countries. Three over-arching objectives guide the EU’s cultural agenda, merging both cultural policies and policies supporting the cultural and creative industries. The Agenda considers the following objectives for cultural policy across the EU:

• Social objectives: Supporting culture and cultural diversity for social cohesion and well-being

• Economic objectives: Mobilising culture-based creativity for education, innovation, jobs and economic growth

• The EU’s external action: Strengthening cultural relations between the EU and outside countries.

The Agenda places specific emphasis on cultural participation. The Agenda quantifies some of the positive effects of citizen participation in culture, such as Eurobarometer data that shows 71% of Europeans agreed living in places close to cultural heritage sites could improve quality of life. The European Commission also cites data that suggests cultural access as the most important determinant of psychological wellbeing, other than the absence of illness. Cultural participation also has a role in facing challenges confronting the European Union, such as the integration of migrants or an ageing population, through its ability to bring people together, empower individuals and promote understanding.

The Commission, however, notes that over a third of Europeans do not participate at all in cultural activities. Important financial and social obstacles prevent a large share of the population from participating in cultural activities. The Agenda calls for a new approach to cultural participation policy, based on cultural capability. According to this approach, States can make a host of cultural activities available, put in place specific pathways for disadvantaged parts of the population to participate and tighten connections between cultural and fields such as education, social affairs and innovation.

The Commission is launching specific initiatives to raise cultural participation in new ways. The body is supporting new research on the cross-over potential of culture and its ability to positively impact other fields such as health and wellbeing. The Agenda is also mobilising funds through programmes such as Creative Europe to put in place a programme on cultural participation in cities.

Source: (European Commission, 2018[26]), A New European Agenda for Culture, COM(2018) 267 final, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52018DC0267&from=EN.

2.2.6.  Colombian skills policies recognise creative economy needs

Colombia implements policies for inclusion (vi) based on skill development and education. Creative economy policy is also harmonised with education policies that reinforce the artistic and cultural exposure of children and youth, comprising a push to reinforce cultural participation in the country. The Ministry of Education has paired up with the Ministry of Culture to update pedagogical and curricular orientations to reinforce the role of creative, artistic, cultural, technological and socio-emotional competencies.

The Ministry of Labour’s National Training Service (SENA) tailors its course and programme offering to the creative economy. SENA is a particularly strong partner for developing the creative economy in rural areas and small municipalities due to its presence across Colombian territories. In 2018, SENA leadership aimed to reach 7 million individuals with the institution’s programmes (SENA, 2018[27]). Channelling a training offer through SENA is way to reach a large share of the population, and mainstream creative economy training to wider labour priorities such as skills certification, upskilling and formalisation.

SENA’s offer has evolved to include a greater number of courses related to cultural enterprise or geared towards prospective cultural and creative workers. SENA has led or contributed to multiple initiatives to develop the skills dimension of Colombia’s creative economy strategy, including the following:

• Integration of SENA regional offices into local creative economy governance, such as Nodes;

• The integration of technical training in creative economy skills within dual degree programmes within secondary education;

• The deployment of the Entrepreneurship Fund for creative economy entrepreneurs;

• Collaboration with DANE to harmonise Colombia’s CNO (National Classification of Occupations) with ISCO; integration into the Single Classification of Occupations for Colombia (CUOC);

• Ongoing efforts to certify skills in culture and creativity learned outside of formal training and education through the Evaluation and Certification of Labour Competences (ECCL) group, specifically in sound and circus arts.

A National Qualifications Framework (MNC) catalogues creative economy skills. This cataloguing has contributed to a group of initiatives. Colombia provides technical support to universities to create new or adapt existing programmes based on the framework. Colombia is also leveraging the qualification programme to consolidate the National System of Artistic and Cultural Education (SINEFAC), which will help certify skills acquired outside of formal education or training. Based on the MNC and SINEFAC, Colombia is also developing its course offering within Education for Work and Human Development programmes (ETDH), a system of certificate-based training run by the Ministry of National Education.18 Work around the MNC in Colombia also benefits from cross-border knowledge transfer through the Cultura Technical Group of the Pacific Alliance.

Creative economy policy also links with existing skills programmes in arts and culture through the “Memory in the Hands” (Memoria en las Manos) strategy. The strategy is anchored within the National Development Plan 2018-2022 (PND). In particular, this strategy links with the successful “National School Workshop: Tools of Peace programme” (Programa Nacional Escuela Taller: Herramientas de Paz) (DNP, 2018[28]). Run by the Ministry of Culture since 2009, the programme mobilises traditional craft (oficios tradicionales) workers to train vulnerable individuals such as youth, women and victims of armed conflict in their profession. The “School Workshops” are a place for training, knowledge transfer and production, linked with local knowledge.

Colombia reinforced the landmark Workshop School programme under the PND 2018-2022. Colombia created four new Workshop Schools in regions where traditional trades may be at risk (DNP, 2018[28]). Under the PND, Colombia also created 200 “Workshop School” (Talleres Escuelas) that work as satellite to the Workshop Schools. The complementary programme helps graduates start their own business in the traditional trades, offering services such as seed capital and credit. An Orange School Workshop (Escuela Taller Naranja) was also created under the PND as a central entrepreneurship hub for programme graduates to further consolidate their entrepreneurship skills in traditional crafts. Another example of crosscutting policy involves the development of a standard of good practices for the hygiene of traditional foods for gastronomy entrepreneurs through dialogue between the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Health and a national institute responsible for drug safety (Invima).19 Going forward, harmonising the qualifications established by the Workshop Schools programme with those of the Ministry of Labour and the Ministry of National Education may offer opportunity for the programme to dispense a range of qualifications.

2.2.7. Cultural policies present synergies with the creative economy

Finally, inspiration (vii), aims to raise the quantity and quality of creative and cultural content. Colombia reinforced and added new orientations to the country’s two capstone grant programmes for cultural producers, the National Stimulus Programme (PNE) and the National Concertation Programme (PNC). In 2022, for example, the stimulus programme included four application areas, creation, training, circulation and investigation (Ministry of Culture, 2022[29]). Under the Orange Economy policy, Colombia also supported traditional public funding mechanisms outside the Ministry of Culture, such as the Film Development Fund (FDC), which suffered a fall in funding in 2020 due to COVID-19.

The inspiration line also connects with competitive grant programmes outside culture. For example, Colombia created a joint initiative between the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Technology, Innovation and Sciences, the “Create Digital” programme (Crea Digital) for digital content production. The framework also set to use copyright as a lever of creative development through a host of specific programmes. The inspiration lines makes key links with Colombia’s traditional grant-based programmes for cultural production, creating potential to further leverage synergies with cultural policies.

Intellectual protection is also growing for creative economy production (National Council of the Orange Economy, 2019[1]). In 2019, Colombia passed a Copyright Law to update and reinforce protections for producers. In 2019, cooperation between the public craft association of Colombia (Artesanías de Colombia) and the National Copyright Department (DNDA) yielded new protections for traditional products, including eleven for artisanal products and three for gastronomy (National Council of the Orange Economy, 2019[1]). Finally, in 2021, the National Social and Economy Council (CONPES) passed a national intellectual property policy, reinforcing intellectual protection for producers across the economy. Traditional handicrafts and cuisine have been the particular focus of efforts.

Initial output indicators show creative economy policy may be having an impact on intellectual property registration. National Orange Economy Council (CNEN) actors organise a virtual platform, seminars, talks and conferences on copyright and intellectual protection issues. In 2019, 16 266 people benefited from these capacity building programmes, while in 2019 alone, 86 250 works, acts and contracts were registered within the DNDA (CNEN, 2020[30]). Potential may exist to further inform actors of their intellectual property rights by reinforcing information and registration assistance within existing capacity building structures, such as SENA programming, Workshop Schools or iNNpulsa programmes.

Colombia’s cultural policies have a strong social dimension. The wealth of cultural policies, often engaging vulnerable populations, empowering indigenous people or fostering democratic values and reconciliation, offer opportunities for policy learning outside Colombia.20 Cultural policies in Colombia go through a vulnerable population “screening” to ensure policies reach low-income territories and ethnic minority populations. The population lens may offer policy expansion opportunities for creative economy tools that are reaching high numbers of creative producers, but may struggle to reach certain vulnerable groups.

Within the Ministry of Culture, a Populations Department (poblaciones) is dedicated specifically to formulating programmes for vulnerable groups. In 2020, for example, the Ministry of Culture ran the “Women Narrate their Territory” programme (Mujeres Narran su Territorio), providing tools for vulnerable women to generate written production based on stories of place. In 2020, in response to COVID-19, the Ministry of Culture also opened the #ComparteloqueSomos programme for new grant based funding, providing COP 24 000 million for cultural producers with specific territorial and ethnic dimensions (Ministry of Culture, 2020[31]). Those cultural producers that are recipients of cultural policies may offer links to benefit from creative economy policies to raise the sustainability of cultural production. Links may be strengthened, for example, between the cultural production resulting from cultural policies, and the internationalisation tools provided by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism.

2.3. Policy considerations

2.3.1. Consider reinforcing information channels between creative economy actors and government

Creative economy policy has brought a needed focus to gathering information on the creative economy. Policy precision and potential is expanding as a result, crucially for local governments to formulate relevant local policies to support the local creative economy. The high level of uptake of public financial opportunities among creative entrepreneurs also reflects policy reach. The low engagement in creative economy opportunities among some rural or less populated communities or vulnerable groups, however, reveals an opportunity to refine communication tools.

The rise of territorial observatories in Medellín and Cali is already drawing civil society, business and academics outside Bogotá to local policy discussion. Small-scale observatories in smaller urban areas, for instance in the capitals of departments, may help engage with new actors. Targeted communication campaigns for actors with low digital access or outside urban centres may also constitute a policy option. Strengthening programmatic links with the national cultural system (SNCu) may also be an opportunity further disseminate information on the creative economy and its opportunities.

In rural areas or small municipalities, policy reach may require bringing policy closer to residents. Initiatives such as the National Programme of Itinerant Libraries (Programa Nacional de Bibliotecas Itinerantes), in which public library satellites provide services to the population, or the Ruta Naranja programme, which involves itinerant entrepreneurship assistance, provide policy experience for Colombia to potentially replicate.

2.3.2. Explore potential synergies between rural policies and the creative economy to build local government capacity

The Ministry of Culture engages in a host of capacity building programmes for local governments in rural areas or small municipalities. A dedicated Deputy Ministry for Regional Development within the Ministry advises and provides support to cultural councils and local administrations. Under the Orange Economy policy, the nodes and creative agenda strategies help local governments create sound governance structures to seize opportunities. OECD field interviews suggest these policies have an effect to reinforce governance. As a structural challenge, capacity building in rural areas is a long-term process requiring continuous investment. Creative economy policy cannot surmount the complex challenges associated with asymmetric local government capacity in Colombia, though its actions can embed themselves in wider State efforts to build subnational capacity across policy areas. Lateral thinking at the local level, as exists within the national creative economy policy, may help yield new synergies that may not require large-scale resources.

Existing tools offer the potential to be further mobilised to build capacity in the area of culture. For example, across Colombia, decade-long cultural plans may be a promising tool to reinforce strategic foresight, give continuity, and reduce the high level of politicisation of creative economy policies. With greater sectoral information, competitiveness commissions (CRC), engaged in Nodes and Creative Agendas, may also be able to mainstream and increase policy continuity. Municipal cultural plans offer the potential to reinforce the role of municipal culture councils in cultural policy planning.

Municipal culture councils may provide a fruitful avenue for capacity building projects as they are often composed of actors from across the quadruple helix. In Piedecuesta, Santander, field research suggests the municipality was able to engage members of a more isolated agricultural population group in a degree of cultural activities, such as presenting agricultural and artisanal products in public contests, or by engaging individuals during livestock fairs or other community events (Pérez Pinzón, 2019[32]). Many of the municipality’s most impactful actions were associated with coordination within the municipal culture council and guidance provided by the decadal cultural plan.

Stronger links with existing regional development tools may be a promising avenue for creative economy development. For example, joint projects across municipalities through existing rural development instruments, such as Administrative and Planning Provinces or Regions (Provincias Administrativas y de Planificación), may offer perspectives to pool resources for cultural infrastructure, common tourism corridor projects or cultural heritage management when funding gaps exist or synergies are possible. In municipalities far from urban hubs and departmental governments, the OECD has also identified the role of territorial pacts, or agreements between levels of government, to advance projects linked to the national development plan (PND).

2.3.3. Continue building an adapted social protection system for creative workers

The COVID-19 crisis revealed the difficult socio-economic situation of creative workers across OECD countries. Across the OECD, a higher proportion of cultural and creative workers are in non-standard forms of work, compared to the general population (OECD, 2022[23]). This includes jobs other than full-time salaried work, such as fixed-term contracts, self-employment or part-time work. This type of contractual arrangement tends to be more precarious than other types due to lower contract stability, fluctuating income and weaker access to social protection.

The extension of BEPS to creative workers opens the way to better social protection. Structural labour market conditions in Colombia make the expansion of social protection for creative workers a gradual process. A high level of labour market duality pose obstacles to adapting Colombia’s protection system to universal coverage, though social protection is evolving to meet challenges.21 The challenges faced by creative workers across OECD countries may be particularly noted in Colombia due to high levels of informality and growing levels of self-employment in this group (see Chapter 1). The expansion of the Periodic Economic Benefits programme (BEPS) to creative workers is a strategic step in integrating this group into a social insurance programme for old age. In 2021, the Ministry of Culture noted over 11 369 cultural workers had already benefited in 783 out of 1 103 municipalities, revealing early signs of impact. Colombia could reflect on strategies to systematise registration in BEPS in tandem with subnational governments, for example when creative workers register their activities through SoyCultura, or through the multiple creative economy programmes involving craft workers.

As the creative economy grows, policy examples from across the OECD could provide interesting policy insight for best adapting social protection systems to include creative workers. In Argentina, working hour conditions for social security inclusion are adjusted to the specific working arrangements of creative workers, which may record less consistent hours due to the nature of project-based and intermittent work. In Colombia, such a scheme could be considered as BEPS registrations grow, and the broader social security system evolves. Colombia could also consider mirroring the inclusion of creative economy workers in BEPS to other social insurance programmes, such as those destined for unemployment insurance or occupational health. The creative economy policy is well placed to reflect on these policy orientations due to the inter-Ministerial approach of the creative economy strategy. Indeed, Colombia could consider broadening the National Council of the Orange Economy (CNEN) to include the Ministry of Health and Social Protection to encourage dialogue between social protection administrations and others involved in the creative economy.

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[18] Lysgård, H. (2016), “The ‘actually existing’ cultural policy and culture-led strategies of rural places and small towns”, Journal of Rural Studies, Vol. 44, pp. 1-11, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2015.12.014.

[44] Ministerio de Cultura (2020), Decreto 475 de 2020, https://economianaranja.gov.co/media/x1qo2foh/decreto-475-de-2020.pdf.

[16] Ministerio de Vivienda (2021), Plan Nacional de Abastecimiento, https://minvivienda.gov.co/sites/default/files/2021-03/9.-plan-nacional-sasbr-vf.pdf.

[52] Ministry of Culture (2022), Bibliotecas rurales itinerantes, tres años de una apuesta por la lectura, la escritura y la oralidad en el campo colombiano, https://www.mincultura.gov.co/prensa/noticias/Paginas/bibliotecas-rurales-itinerantes-una-apuesta-por-la-lectura-la-escritura-y-la-oralidad-en-el-campo.aspx.

[29] Ministry of Culture (2022), Programa nacional de estímulos manual portafolio 2022, https://economianaranja.gov.co/media/lujhwj3k/manual-portafolio-esti-mulos-2022-_-dede.pdf.

[13] Ministry of Culture (2021), Estrategia Nodos y Mesas de Economía Naranja, https://economianaranja.gov.co/media/tnahctmm/estrategia_nodos_y_mesas_de_economia_naranja_v1.pdf.

[53] Ministry of Culture (2021), Estrategia Nodos y Mesas de Economía Naranja, https://economianaranja.gov.co/media/tnahctmm/estrategia_nodos_y_mesas_de_economia_naranja_v1.pdf.

[46] Ministry of Culture (2020), Compendio de legislación cultural, https://www.culturantioquia.gov.co/images/2020/pdf/02_COMPENDIO_LEGISLACION_CULTURAL.pdf.

[54] Ministry of Culture (2020), Plan Nacional de Música para la Convivencia de MinCultura seleccionado como uno de los 100 proyectos del París Peace Forum, https://www.mincultura.gov.co/areas/cooperacion/noticias/Paginas/Plan-Nacional-de-M%C3%BAsica-para-la-Convivencia-de-MinCultura-seleccionado-como-uno-de-los-100-proyectos-del-Par%C3%ADs-Peace-Forum.aspx.

[31] Ministry of Culture (2020), Resolución 1085 por medio de la cual se abre la Convocatoria: ’Comparte lo que somos el Arte, la Cultura y el Patrimonio, un ’abrazo’de esperanza nacional - 2020’, y se adoptan las reglas de participación en la misma., https://www.mincultura.gov.co/prensa/noticias/Documents/Patrimonio/1085%20-%20RESOLUCIO%CC%81N%20ABRE%20CONVOCATORIA%20COMPARTE%20LO%20QUE%20SOMOS%202020.pdf.

[49] Ministry of Culture (2010), Compendio de políticas culturales, https://www.mincultura.gov.co/ministerio/politicas-culturales/compendio-politicas-culturales/Documents/compendiopoliticas_artefinalbaja.pdf.

[3] Ministry of Culture (2001), Plan nacional de cultura 2001-2010: Hacia una ciudadanía democrática cultural, un plan colectivo desde y para un país plural, https://mincultura.gov.co/planes-y-programas/Planes/plan%20nacional%20de%20cultura/Documents/DocNewsNo371DocumentNo504.PDF.

[15] Ministry of Culture and FINDETER (2019), Documento Integrado de Implementación del Mapeo Exprés de Industrias Culturales y Creativas en Cali, https://economianaranja.gov.co/media/jiidwrit/documento-mapeo-cali.pdf.

[1] National Council of the Orange Economy (2019), Comprehensive Policy of the Orange Economy, https://economianaranja.gov.co/media/zpvnxktd/comprehensive-policy-of-the-orange-economy.pdf.

[11] OECD (2022), National Urban Policy Review of Colombia, OECD Urban Studies, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/9ca1caae-en.

[23] OECD (2022), The Culture Fix: Creative People, Places and Industries, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/991bb520-en.

[7] OECD (2021), Note for Italy G20 Presidency Culture Working Group, https://www.oecd.org/cfe/leed/OECD-G20-Culture-July-2021.pdf.

[19] OECD (2020), Culture shock: COVID-19 and the cultural and creative sectors, https://read.oecd-ilibrary.org/view/?ref=135_135961-nenh9f2w7a&title=Culture-shock-COVID-19-and-the-cultural-and-creative-sectors.

[8] OECD (2019), Asymmetric decentralisation: Policy implications in Colombia, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://www.oecd.org/colombia/Asymmetric_decentralisation_Colombia.pdf.

[10] OECD (2016), “Attrattori culturali per il turismo e l’occupazione nelle regioni del sud Italia: Patrimonio culturale e industrie creative: Un confronto internazionale”, ACTORS Italia, https://www.oecd.org/cfe/leed/AA_Confronto_internazionale_2016.pdf.

[17] OECD (2014), OECD Territorial Reviews: Colombia 2014, OECD Territorial Reviews, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264224551-en.

[5] OECD (2013), Colombia: Implementing Good Governance, OECD Public Governance Reviews, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264202177-en.

[45] OECD (forthcoming, 2022), Culture and Creative Sectors and Local Development.

[12] OECD (forthcoming), OECD Rural Policy Review of Colombia.

[47] Parra Osorio, J. and O. Corzo C. (2008), “Impacto del Plan Nacional de Lectura y Bibliotecas (PNLB) sobre el número de libros leídos en Colombia”, Cuadernos de Economía, Vol. 31/87, pp. 115-132.

[32] Pérez Pinzón, L. (2019), “Efectos de los planes decenales de cultura en el fomento y proyección de las comunidades municipales. El caso de Piedecuesta (Colombia).”, Reflexión Política, Vol. 21/42, https://doi.org/10.29375/01240781.3488.

[6] Republic of Colombia (2018), Decreto 1935 Por el cual se crea y reglamenta el funcionamiento del Consejo Nacional de la Economía Naranja, https://www.funcionpublica.gov.co/eva/gestornormativo/norma.php?i=89064.

[40] Secretaría Distrital de Planeación de Bogotá (n.d.), Política Distrital de Ruralidad, http://www.sdp.gov.co/gestion-territorial/ambiente-y-ruralidad/politicas/politica-distrital-de-ruralidad.

[27] SENA (2018), SENA aliado de las administraciones locales para impulsar el desarrollo del país desde las regiones, https://www.sena.edu.co/es-co/Noticias/Paginas/noticia.aspx?IdNoticia=3405.

[36] UNESCO (2019), Pour une formalisation de l’économie créative en Colombie, https://fr.unesco.org/creativity/news/pour-formalisation-de-leconomie-creative-colombie.

[35] UNESCO (2012), Bogota City of Music 2012-2017 Report, https://en.unesco.org/creative-cities/sites/default/files/monitoring_reports/bogota_uccn_2012_-_2017_monitoring_report__0.pdf.

[41] WHO (2019), What is the evidence on the role of the arts in improving health and well being? A scoping review, https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/329834/9789289054553-eng.pdf.

Notes

← 1. See, in particular, Articles 70-72 of the 1991 Constitution highlighting Colombians’ right to culture.

← 2.  A group of decrees, such as Decrees 468 (2020) or Decree 475 (2020), also expanded financing sources for the Orange Economy (see Chapter 4).

← 3.  See for more details: https://economianaranja.gov.co/media/hzipmasi/documento‑conpes‑4062‑de‑2021.pdf.

← 4.  Article 1 of Decree 1935 (2018) defines its role as as “organismo asesor y consultivo del Gobierno Nacional, encargado de formular lineamientos generales de política y de coordinar las acciones interinstitucionales necesarias para la promoción, defensa, divulgación y desarrollo de la economía creativa”.

← 5.  Department will be used throughout this report to refer to the departamento administrative level.

← 6.  Law 715 (2001) and Law 1185 (2008).

← 7.  Please see (OECD, 2019[8]) and (OECD, 2014[17]) for more details on Colombia’s multilevel governance system.

← 8.  Information provided by the Colombian Ministry of Culture.

← 9.  Nodes often work at the departmental level, while Tables concern a more local administrative level, such as neighbourhoods, and can be more adapted to less populated territories.

← 10.  See Chapter 3 for a discussion of the role of Nodes and Tables in ADNs.

← 11.  Information provided by the Colombian Ministry of Culture.

← 12.  See Comprehensive Policy of the Orange Economy for a conceptual basis of creative economy policy (National Council of the Orange Economy, 2019[1]).

← 13.  Note: Second tier bank, though first tier lending capabilities have opened since legislation passed during the COVID-19 pandemic modified the bank’s lending options.

← 14.  ADNs are the focus of an in-depth discussion in Chapter 3.

← 15.  See Chapter 4 for discussion on SENA’s Entrepreneurship Fund.

← 16.  Data provided by the Ministry of Culture.

← 17.  Ibid.

← 18.  ETDH constitutes a public lifelong learning offer meant to complement formal education and provide certifications.

← 19.  Colombia’s National Development Plan (DNP) details all policy links made under the Memory in the Hands strategy (DNP, 2018[28]).

← 20.  Certain Colombian cultural policies have gained international recognition. In 2020, for example, the Paris Peace Forum selected the National Music Plan for Co-existence (Plan Nacional de Música para la Convivencia) as a best practice (Ministry of Culture, 2020[54]).

← 21.  See, for example, (ECLAC, 2015[55])for a historic overview of advances and challenges facing social protection in Colombia.